Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Two teams at the upper end of the food chain collide on Saturday as the Gilgronis host the Free Jacks. It’s just the second time the two sides have met, with New England taking the spoils at home last season.
In fact the Free Jacks have only one before visited Texas, the 32-0 drubbing dealt to the lowly SaberCats in Houston early last year. Austin are at the other end of the spectrum, currently sitting at the top of the table with their first defeat of the season coming in Atlanta last weekend.
Sam Harris is asking for an immediate response from his team, and has veered away from wholesale changes. The only alteration to the backline comes on the left wing where Zinzan Elan-Puttick starts in place of Julián Domínguez.
Faka’osi Pifeleti replaces Jake Turnbull at loosehead prop, and Isaac Ross returns in the second row. Christian Ostberg switches to blindside flanker with Dom Akina returning to the bench as midfield cover after spending the week as an emergency flanker. There is a notable first appearance of the season for last year’s starting openside Maclean Jones on the bench.
New England made a statement against New York and followed it up with a home win over the Arrows in dreadful weather on Saturday. Scott Mathie has nonetheless surprisingly opted to freshen up his side, with three first choice players left among the replacements and two others rested entirely.
MLR’s consensus form player Beaudein Waaka settles for a reserve role as Harrison Boyle instead wears the No10 shirt in his first start of the campaign. Paula Balekana returns to the lineup on the wing in place of Harry Barlow, with Zach Bastres called up to the reserves.
Josh Larsen and Slade McDowall have both drawn bench duty with Joe Johnston assuming the captaincy. Kyle Ciquera, Mills Sanerivi, and Cam Davidowicz are each handed their first Major League Rugby starts at loosehead prop, hooker, and blindside flanker respectively. Reegan O’Gorman takes the vacancy left by Larsen in the second row alongside Stan van den Hoven.
Austin experienced their first dip in form against the Ratlers but at home and with a few extra bodies should be close to full speed. The Free Jacks have opted to rotate players with an eye to their own battle against ATL next week. It’s still a dangerous outfit with Waaka able to make a difference as a replacement, but picking against the Gilgronis in this situation seems fraught with peril.
Kickoff is set for 7pm local time, 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern. Local broadcasts will be available on KBVO in Austin and NBC Sports Boston, with The Rugby Network streaming worldwide.
AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Namatahi Waa, 4 Cam Dodson, 5 Isaac Ross, 6 Christian Ostberg, 7 Michael de Waal, 8 Locky McCaffrey, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 10 Mack Mason, 11 Zinzan Elan-Puttick, 12 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 13 Mark O’Keeffe, 14 Conner Mooneyham, 15 Marcel Brache
Replacements: 16 Mason Koch, 17 LaRome White, 18 Mason Pedersen, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Maclean Jones, 21 Sidney Shoop, 22 Will Magie, 23 Dom Akina
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Kyle Ciquera, 2 Mills Sanerivi, 3 Erich de Jager, 4 Reegan O’Gorman, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 6 Cam Davidowicz, 7 Joe Johnston (capt.), 8 Terrell Peita, 9 John Poland, 10 Harrison Boyle, 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 14 Mitch Wilson, 15 Dougie Fife
Replacements: 16 Foster DeWitt, 17 Quentin Newcomer, 18 Tevita Sole, 19 Josh Larsen, 20 Slade McDowall, 21 Holden Yungert, 22 Beaudein Waaka, 23 Zach Bastres
Date: Saturday, March 19
Venue: Bold Stadium, Austin
Kickoff: 19:00 local (17:00 Pacific, 20:00 Eastern)
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Joey Swatzell (USA) & Andrew Low (USA)
TMO: Davey Ardrey (USA)
Broadcasts: KBVO, NBC Sports Boston, The Rugby Network
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021-05-08 – New England Free Jacks 22, Austin Gilgronis 18 (Weymouth)
